The present invention is directed to an instrument panel assembly for a vehicle, and is particularly directed to an instrument panel assembly having a one-piece structural carrier member for receiving and supporting a variety of components of the instrument panel assembly.
A vehicle instrument panel assembly typically comprises a variety of components mounted on an instrument panel carrier structure that extends transversely across the vehicle between the vehicle""s A-pillars. The instrument panel carrier structure may be made from several separate sections, such as a structural base section and an air bag module receiving section, that are joined together.
The typical vehicle instrument panel assembly further includes a number of trim pieces, such as a deployment door for an air bag module, that are secured to the instrument panel carrier structure and that cover the various components mounted on the instrument panel carrier structure. Components that are typically mounted on the instrument panel carrier structure include a passenger-side air bag module, an inflatable/deployable knee bolster or an energy-absorbing knee bolster, and a glove box. Each of these components is usually fastened to the instrument panel carrier structure by some form of metal bracketing. Such metal bracketing can include the reaction canister that is found in most passenger-side air bag modules and the reaction plate that is found in most driver-side air bag modules. Some side-impact air bag modules, referred to as xe2x80x9csoft-packxe2x80x9d modules, have eliminated the use a metal reaction canister. In addition, several patents exist that describe the use of the instrument panel as the reaction canister.
The present invention is an instrument panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising a structural carrier member supporting a plurality of components of the instrument panel assembly adjacent the vehicle occupant compartment. The structural carrier member is formed as one piece and has a first section defining a first chamber for receiving and supporting a first component of the instrument panel assembly and a second section defining a second chamber for receiving and supporting a second component of the instrument panel assembly. The first component comprises a first inflatable vehicle occupant protection device received in the first chamber and fastened to the first section of the structural carrier member. The structural carrier member further defines a deployment opening through which the first protection device is inflatable from the first chamber into the vehicle occupant compartment to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. The second component comprises an occupant knee protection device received in the second chamber for helping to protect the vehicle occupant""s legs in the event of a vehicle collision.